


A Dog A Lover

by canterofmysinnings



Series: Barlliams Songfic Challenge 2018-2020+ [22]
Category: Take That (Band)
Genre: (But mostly Top! Gary and Bottom! Robbie), Clueless Gay (Robbie), Crush at First Sight, Cuddling, Dog convention, Drugs mention, Dry grinding, Fan/Celebrity, First Kiss, Love Confession, Low self-esteem (Robbie), M/M, New Relationship, Non-Take That AU, Old Friends, Romantic Fluff, Sexual Tension, Spooning, Teasing, Third Wheel, Top! Gary and Bottom! Gary, Top! Robbie and Bottom! Robbie, alcohol mention, fluid pov
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-09
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:49:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,039
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27976896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/canterofmysinnings/pseuds/canterofmysinnings
Summary: Gary and Robbie are both at a dog lover convention. Gary is doing a speech in front of the many people and Robbie, and Robbie instantly admires Gary for his gifts in public speaking and sets it as a goal to speak to him. Will it happen? And if it happens, will it change their lives forever?
Relationships: Gary Barlow/Robbie Williams, Nicole Keely/John Stafford
Series: Barlliams Songfic Challenge 2018-2020+ [22]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1926196
Kudos: 2





	A Dog A Lover

**Author's Note:**

> This is part 22 of my Transfer from Wattpad series, as well as my year-long Barlliams Songfic challenge.  
> Originally published at: 25/07/2018  
> Originally inspired by the song: She's The One

**August 2001**

Robbie checked his calendar once more as he ate pre-trip lunch. He was going on a road trip to Plymouth with his friends John and Nicole. In particular, he was going to a dog convention - and he was very excited.   
Nicole and John liked dogs as much as he did, and Robbie had no doubt in his mind that it would be a great day.  
He had collected tickets and planned everything in advance carefully, though it wasn't his usual style at all.   
He appeared in another world as he checked everything was as it should be, and then as his friends pulled up in his driveway, he promptly walked outside and opened the car door.   
"Hey John! How are you two doin-"   
Robbie's voice trailed off as his friends shared a possessive kiss.   
"Hey, why can't you wait with that?" Robbie exclaimed. "You know I have no one to snog, so that one's not fair on me!"   
John turned to Robbie, somewhat nonchalantly. "Sorry Bob, didn't see you there. Are you ready to go?"   
Robbie frantically checked his bag one more time and found out that he indeed had everything he needed. "Yes, I'm ready, thank you."  
"Then get in there." John gestured to the backseat. "We have 3 hours to go."  
***  
After they had been driving half the way, they decided to stop for the afternoon and have a break.   
John unpacked their food as the three of them settled down on a bench in nature.   
Robbie was growing dissatisfied with John and Nicole, as their affection displays didn't quite please him.   
"How did you two get together anyway?" Robbie asked as he opened a bottle of water.   
Nicole was just about to answer, when Robbie cut her off. "Actually, don't sweat. I don't want to hear it." He grinned awkwardly.   
Nicole chuckled at Robbie as she put her arm around John. "Don't worry, Robbie. Before you know it, you might meet the one."  
"Yeah!" John enthusiastically agreed. "Wait... You were into guys too, right?"   
Robbie looked from the ground into John's eyes.   
"Yeah, I am." He answered dryly. "But they don't like me too."  
John shrugged at Robbie. "Come on, don't be so pessimistic! When you like guys too, there is twice the chance you might find someone. Don't you think, Nicole?" John turned to Nicole and looked at her in a way that made Robbie's heart ache in secret longing. Robbie liked to give off the impression that he was a tough guy who didn't need anyone, but in reality, he was a big softie by now and would like to settle down with someone, be it a man or a woman.   
He sat there considering what to do about it as he was interrupted the car doors of the front closing and Nicole saying they continued the trip.   
As Robbie closed his own door and fastened his seatbelt, Robbie couldn't help but joke bitterly. "You know, guys... When we've arrived, you can do what you like. I'm out of there."  
With these words, he leant back and opened a book. It was for his studies - physics. Not that he was diehard for the subject - the regulation and rules of science calmed his mind.  
"Who knows, with these looks you might not be leaving with us at all!" John winked at Robbie.   
"John!" Nicole whined annoyingly.   
The absurdity of the situation made Robbie chuckle. When everything calmed down again, Robbie went back to the study.

***  
Eventually, the assembly of three arrived to the site of the event. There was crowded already, and Robbie could tell that it wasn't the best idea to come this late, as chattering people with barking, excited dogs were everywhere, filling his ears with noise. Robbie unconsciously stared into space, as he for the second time that day was awaken by a... Voice. Insisting.   
Robbie blinked rapidly to interpret the sight in front of him. A slight nudge from Nicole made Robbie sober up immediately.   
In front of him stood a young man in a dark blue uniform. He looked like a ticket seller, and he had a cap on to protect his head from the sun. He was a wee chap, hardly more than 5"5 tall with steel blue eyes and amber coloured hair. Shaven clean, Robbie was unable to locate his exact age. The man in front of him looked like a teenager, yet had a grown up feel about him.   
"Tickets please?" The man asked gently in an unusual accent. Robbie noticed that Nicole and John already had turned their tickets in and felt a rush of embarrassment.   
Robbie had to message his temple intensely as he searched his bag. Finally, he found the ticket - all curled up.   
"I'm sorry." Robbie stammered as he gave the man the ticket.   
The man - he looked at his name badge and read Mark Owen - handled it professionally. He scanned the code and smiled reassuringly to Robbie. "Don't worry, handsome. Everything's in its order. D'ya want a programme for the day?" The man called Mark flicked through a collection of programmes with paws and dog graphics.   
Robbie nodded and was about to find his money as the man stopped him. Leaning in, Mark whispered.   
"You can get one for free. Don't tell anyone though, my boss will be livid!"   
Robbie blushed. "You don't have to do this for me!" He stammered.   
"It's fine. Just take it and go before anyone gets suspicious." Mark winked and gestured Robbie to move so other customers could go through. Robbie took the programme and stumbled through the ticket checkin, overwhelmed with confusing emotions.   
Nicole and John greeted him.   
"Seems like it's your lucky day today! Did you see how that ticket guy acted? I think he fancies you, Robbie!" John teased as they walked out of listening range and towards the big scene at the dog convention. Robbie had to make a reality check to remember what he was here for.   
"He's at work here!" Robbie complained. "Besides, he's cute but not exactly my type. That being sad, I was flattered to be flirted with..." He trailed off.   
Nicole interrupted the two. "Guys, how about we hurry and get to sit next to the scene? There aren't many seats left."  
John nodded and took Nicole's hand.   
Robbie hurried forward so that he didn't have to look at his friends' public display of affection.   
As the three got there, it dawned on Robbie that there weren't any more seats left. Judging by the currently empty stage, there would go a little while before anything happened. So he turned to John and Nicole.   
"Who's on at first?" He asked them, and reached them his programme for the day.   
John looked at the folder.   
"Plymouth Dog-Con featuring Gary Barlow." John looked at Robbie and laughed. "No idea who that is."  
"No?" Robbie said thoughtfully. "I think I might have met him before."  
Nicole nodded. "He's actually a musician from Frodsham, but he's based in Manchester."  
"So that's why!" Robbie exclaimed. "I definitely went to see him once."  
The three friends were about to chat on, but music started to play at the scene which got gradually louder and demanded their attention. The surrounding people started to cheer and Robbie turned his back to the audience to see what was going on, resting his body on the barrier. 

"Good afternoon, dog lovers! I'm Gary Barlow, and I'll entertain you tonight as well as host a dog competition. Who out here has the prettiest dog?" Gary smiled a cheeky smile as he held out the microphone as if the audience could answer into it. The audience started to answer loudly and some people whistled.   
Gary felt a rush of adrenaline as he looked at his audience. He loved the sheer diversity the crowd displayed, with not one single person looking exactly like each other. It was a beautiful crowd, he thought.   
As he walked around stage presenting the daily programme and what activities people were able to do here, he noticed something - or more precisely someone - out of the ordinary.   
It was a young man, who was standing against the barrier as the only person in the entire crowd. Gary immediately wondered why. One thing was for sure, and that was he wasn't supposed to stand there.   
Gary was immediately drawn to the unusual rebellion of the young man.   
While trying his hardest to appear natural, he studied the man closer each time he moved back and forth on the scene. It took his utmost concentration and knowledge of showmanship to not give away who he was looking at. By the time he was almost done with the presentation, he had a picture of the man in his head.   
Black hair, green eyes. Clean skin, slim figure. Gary took another sneak peek at the mysterious rebel by the barrier and realised that he... Was looking back at Gary. Gary gulped and had to drink a glass of water to continue.

"We are here today to celebrate dogs. Big dogs, small dogs..." Gary made eye contact with the crowd to see how much he should drag on his speech. People appeared quite interested. Involuntarily, Gary's eyes rested back at the dark haired man a the barrier, who was smiling mischievously as if Gary had told a dirty joke.  
Gary felt drawn to his rebellious attitude and what didn't make it any better was that they shared eye colour. Breathtakingly green eyes.

Gary let his eyes slide around the audience the second time as he was hit with a wave of insecurity.  
The crowd appeared unchanged, and the look in the black haired man was still the same.  
Gary took another sip of his water. He felt like his insides were trembling as he became unable to focus on anyone else than the strange man by the barrier.  
He also felt strongly confused, as he usually never cared about his audience enough to point out individual faces.  
He collected himself with his last willpower and diverted his glance from his raven-haired aquintance.  
"That's it for today guys, be sure to check back in two hours for music entertainment!"  
As he walked off stage, Gary felt drained, but also energised. As he walked backstage, he was unable to shake the picture of the green eyed guy.

Robbie immediately felt empty when Gary left stage. He was in another world entirely and was only brought back to reality when John rocked him back and forth gently.  
"Earth calling Robbie." John grinned.  
"What?!" Robbie exclaimed as the fog for his eyes dissolved.  
He heard Nicole laughing in the background.  
"You should've seen yourself during that speech. You were starry-eyed like a school girl."  
Robbie blushed heavily. "No way, I..."  
John smiled knowingly at his friend. "You know what, I think Gary was gone for you too, Robbie. You had an intense eye contact."  
"I thought that was onesided..." Robbie admitted. "I didn't know he was looking back at me!"   
"Orrr, Robbie, don't be silly now. Didn't you see how he was chugging water all the time?!" John chuckled.   
"I think he fancies you." Nicole chipped in from her chair. "I should know, after all." She winked.   
"Yeah, right... He's probably straight." Robbie complained. "That ticket guy called me handsome, well, he's not straight. But I don't want to go out with him, I barely know him. I bet that Gary is as straight as an arrow." He aggressively shrugged, rolling his eyes.   
John grabbed his shoulder. "Hang on a minute, Robbie. How are you supposed to know if you've never talked to him?"   
Robbie's eyes widened as he realised the fault in his argument.   
"Errrr... All the boys I fancy are straight!" Robbie desperately reasoned.   
"And how many of them have you asked for the true nature of their feelings?" John smirked.   
Robbie fell quiet.   
Nicole opened a can of soda. "For Heaven's sake Robbie. Go do something about it. Because whenever you don't do anything about it, _that's_ when it tends to become too late."  
Robbie felt humiliated, but inside his heart he had an aching need to be with Gary once again. Yet he was afraid to be turned away on the doorstep.   
"He was on stage, Nicole. He probably has a lot of security guards with him, so I won't be able to make it."  
Nicole was growing annoyed with Robbie's attitude as she put the can away in an insisting manner. "If you don't try, you'll never know. Besides, I think you'll find that he's only human, despite his star role."  
"Alright, I'll try. I saw where he was heading off stage." Robbie sighed in defeat.   
"Good luck!" Nicole waved to him as Robbie walked off.

It didn't take long for Robbie to find Gary. He was talking to a lady and her Akita dog as Robbie found him.   
Once again, Robbie was spellbound by Gary's talking gifts. Every word that escaped Gary's lips was gentle and graceful to the point of Robbie telling himself he didn't deserve to be near Gary.

Nevertheless, he decided to break the ice to Gary and interrupt his conversation.   
"Hi, Gary." Robbie gushed.   
Gary turned around slowly. Up closer, Robbie could see that Gary was smaller than he was. Not much, only a couple of inches. However, it was enough to make Gary feel strangely endearing to Robbie.   
"Hi... Robbie." Gary hesitated and looked at Robbie closely.   
"D-Do you know me?" Robbie stuttered, star-struck.   
"We've met before, I'm sure." Gary said while looking into Robbie's eyes.   
Robbie's breathing sped up in anticipation. "Where? I know you... But where did we meet?" Robbie asked, confused yet awestruck.   
"Ermm..." Gary scratched his hair. "I think we met in Manchester back in the day. Back in '94. You wrote songs, I played piano, and we just..."  
"We just?" Robbie questioned.   
"Well, it's a longer story. Do you want to go somewhere more... Private?" Gary gestured with a little smile.   
Robbie hurriedly nodded. "Yes."

***  
"I think that was a quite significant change in your life, that day." Gary grinned. "How come you don't remember? It was only 5 years ago."  
"I... Can I admit something?" Robbie lowered his voice.   
"Yeah, do go on." Gary said attentively.   
Robbie took a deep breath in.   
"Since that year, when it all ended... I struggled. I did a tonne of bad things. Drugs. Many drugs."  
Gary bit his lower lip. "Really?"   
Robbie nodded. "Really."  
Gary frowned. "Robbie, we knew each other. You could have told me, and I would've dropped anything for you."

It took Robbie multiple seconds to realise what Gary just said.   
"Anything at all?"  
Gary nodded now, and the look in his eyes told Robbie that he was serious.   
"I think I just thought you were too busy - that you didn't care about me anymore..." Robbie confessed.   
"I was struggling, I went to the hospital... I had no one."  
Gary sighed heavily as he looked at Robbie.   
"What made you think that I had stopped caring about you? I could've been there for you, had you only told me. Oh Robbie, I have no words."  
"I... You told me that you wanted to focus on your career, solo. And now I see you here today... You're so good at public speaking, I don't know how you do it."  
Gary smirked a little smile.   
"Thank you, but perhaps we need to talk about the communication between you and I? There seems to be some words between us that we never said."  
Robbie licked his lips. "Mmm."

"I saw how you looked at me in the crowd earlier." Gary spoke softly. "You looked at me like I was the most incredible thing you've ever seen."  
"I had no idea that you were spying on me, too!" Robbie complained jokingly.   
"I was." Gary blushed at the revelation.   
"But why?" Robbie breathed.   
He looked at Gary and his chestnut coloured hair.   
"Because I think I've always found you attractive."   
Robbie felt like he was struck by lightning as his entire body buzzed.   
"What? You think I'm...?"  
"Yes." Gary confirmed in a faint tone of voice.   
"I thought you were straight." Robbie confessed. "I'm sorry. That was silly of me to assume -"   
"It's okay. Now you know." Gary attempted to calm Robbie down. "Question is, what do you feel - do you feel the same way, or..."  
Gary trailed off.   
"I do. I like you. I can't keep my eyes off you. I knew you were familiar, I just didn't recall why. But now I know, we've met before, then fallen out-"   
"Hmm." Gary answered in a reflective tone.

"Gary." Robbie said hesitantly.   
"Yeah - do you want to say something?"   
Robbie nodded. "Now you like me... Do you want to, ummm, kiss me?"   
Gary chuckled.   
"Now, I haven't seen you for a long time. When I saw you... I was drawn towards you. You had a familiar feeling about you... I thought 'I knew you'. When I look in your eyes now, I see the eyes of a man I know..." Gary got carried away in tangles of romantic musings.   
"Gaaaaary." Robbie tried softly. "You didn't answer my question."  
Gary smiled awkwardly. "Sorry... What?"   
"Do you want to kiss me?" Robbie purred into Gary's ear.   
"Yes." Gary admitted. "I want to kiss you, Robbie, and maybe do more..." He continued in a seductive tone.   
"Such as?" Robbie smirked in an alluring manner as the two men moved closer across the table.   
"My showmanship teacher always told me to show, don't tell. May I?"   
Gary, being ever the gentleman, felt obliged to ask for permission before trying anything.   
"Please." Robbie agreed with a trembling breath, which sealed the deal for Gary as he got up from his chair.  
The atmosphere in the room immediately changed from a rather stale into a red-hot one.   
"Are you clean?" Gary asked Robbie.   
"Despite my good looks, I've never actually had it with any guy before." Robbie confessed.   
Gary smirked. "I trust you."

Gary walked to Robbie and cupped Robbie's face in his hands as the two men looked at each other, aching to be touched.   
Gary leant closer into Robbie, which Robbie didn't object to.   
Robbie parted his lips lightly, granting access to Gary, who let his lips meet Robbie's in an electrifying kiss.   
Gary was making out with Robbie rather forcefully, and Robbie didn't mind as he made it up to Gary just as passionately.   
Gary took a deep breath as he separated from Robbie again, leaving Robbie with a sheepish, confused expression.   
"I suggest we move to that sofa over there." Gary whispered flirtatiously.   
"Deal." Was the only thing Robbie could say as he slid his arms around Gary's strong torso, seeking underneath his t-shirt.   
"Lord knows I haven't felt this alive in ages." Robbie sighed happily as Gary ordered him to sit down on the sofa.   
Hardly had he sat down before Gary threw himself at him wrapping himself around Robbie's torso, tugging at Robbie's shirt as he kissed him again, this time shorter, insisting kisses.   
Robbie already felt affected by Gary's intense affection. He felt a tent rapidly forming in his trousers, getting bigger by the second.   
As Gary suddenly decided to sit astride Robbie's crotch, a gluttoral moan escaped Robbie's lips.   
Gary kissed Robbie again, slowly sliding back and forth on Robbie's crotch. Robbie breathed heavily.   
"You're so good." Robbie groaned, flushing red in excitement as he felt waves of excitement and pleasure crash onto him.   
"I've always had the impression you're a top, it really feels different to be in charge of you." Gary teased mercilessly.   
"Own me." Robbie moaned softly, as Gary kept on stroking and eventually undid his zipper.   
His trousers were growing uncomfortably right as he was getting more and more turned on. Robbie grit his teeth as Gary worked himself down to his length in a different angle.   
He struggled to breathe as Gary removed his trousers completely and loosened the belt his own trousers.   
Gary noticed his pleasure and was very amused. He wasn't used to be a top, so this felt rejuvenating to him.   
"Are you comfortable?" He asked Robbie warily as he got back onto the sofa next to his newfound lover.   
"Yeah. But I need your touch... Gary please help." Robbie cried out as his underwear was stained by ever-emerging droplets of precum.  
Gary tugged Robbie's underwear down and was pleased to see Robbie's erection standing tall.  
"Beautiful..." Gary breathed. Then he leant forward to Robbie's head and whispered into his ear. "Do you want me to give you a blowjob? So that you can shoot your load down my throat and watch me struggle?" Gary smiled a wicked smile.  
"Pull me by the hair, closer, harder..."  
Robbie took a deep breath in.  
"Yes, yes...." He stammered. "Please. I'm aching. K-kiss me Gary."  
Gary decided to satisfy Robbie by kneeling down and taking Robbie's length in his hands while kissing Robbie passionately, prodding his tongue deeply into Robbie's soft mouth.  
After a while of this, Robbie had gotten so rock hard that Gary figured Robbie was in pain.  
"Ughhh..." Robbie moaned and breathed heavily. "Gary, please..."  
"I'm just going to..." Gary leant down and pushed his mouth around the length of Robbie's stiffness.  
"Ahhhh." Robbie let out a sigh of relief as Gary was working off some of the pressure build up he'd caused him.  
As Gary kept taking Robbie in his mouth, Robbie's breathing sped up. Gary took Robbie's hand and held it tightly. Then he suddenly turned to a submissive, which surprised Robbie.   
"Thrust into me, Robbie. Do it as hard as you like." Gary whispered to Robbie.  
Robbie smiled a flustered smile.  
"You know, by now I'm still not entirely convinced that this is real."  
"Robbie, this is real. I'm here to serve you. Please, use me." Gary begged submissively.  
"Okay." Robbie blushed again. "But please tell me if it hurts... I don't want to hurt you."  
"I appreciate your care. But I can take it. Please do not hold back." Gary pleaded, wetting his mouth with warm saliva, ready to take Robbie once again.  
This time, it was Robbie doing most of the work, pushing his cock inside Gary's mouth. Yet Gary applied light pressure, so that Robbie would feel more pleasure.  
Gary realised that his technique when he could feel Robbie trembling underneath him.  
He pushed himself closer to Robbie and made eye contact with him, not wanting to break away from his cock.  
Robbie's facial expression told Gary that Robbie was almost there.  
He started to do Robbie more frantically, with passion.  
Robbie started moaning louder than before.  
"Gary, I'm..." Robbie gasped. "I'm coming..."  
He plummeted back on the sofa as Gary felt Robbie's cock conveying the final message.  
Robbie's length exploded into Gary's mouth, and Gary loyally swallowed it all.  
After he had finished up, Gary dried away the last strings from his face and helped Robbie tidy up.  
Robbie was feeling a bit embarrassed now. "Uh Gary... My underwear is soaked."  
Gary kissed Robbie on the temple.  
"Don't worry, I have extra ones you can borrow."  
"Thank you." Robbie stuttered.

When Robbie had changed his clothes into dry ones, Gary and Robbie cuddled on the sofa.  
Robbie was the big spoon, holding Gary lovingly in his arms.  
They just laid there for a while, sensing each other's presence.  
Then Robbie broke the silence.  
"Erm... Gary?" He asked, stroking Gary's dark blonde hair.  
"Hmm?" Gary smiled, feeling safe in Robbie's arms.  
"What do you want from a relationship right now?" Robbie kissed Gary's neck, which made Gary shudder in a good way.  
"You." Gary replied, snickering at his joke.  
Robbie chuckled. "No, I mean, what do you _really_ want from a relationship?"  
Gary closed his eyes again and smiled.  
"I think I just want to have someone by my side in good or in bad... In sick or in health..."  
"To death do apart?" Robbie teased, kissing Gary's hair from the big spoon embrace.  
Gary opened his eyes slightly. "Well, something like that anyway. What do you think, Robbie?"  
Robbie embraced Gary tighter and smiled into his hair.  
"I think that sounds like a pretty good plan."


End file.
